Moldova to lead fight against corruption in Balkans
Moldova has assumed the presidency of the Balkan Network of Asset Recovery Agencies (BAMIN) for the first time. This is a first for a country outside the Balkan region to lead this international organisation.
At the 2023 Annual General Assembly, Minister of Justice Veronica Mihailov-Moraru spoke about the need to combat corruption, a commitment that Moldova has made as a candidate country for EU membership.
"Combating corruption is a priority for the current government," Mihailov-Moraru said. "The Ministry of Justice is taking all necessary steps to ensure that mechanisms for confiscating and recovering illegally acquired assets are effective and that they are returned to the state and the citizens of Moldova."
In the context of the opening event, Mihailov-Moraru held a press conference.
"It is commendable that the Asset Recovery Agency has managed to integrate into the international community through the intensification of cooperation and the assumption of the BAMIN presidency in 2023," Mihailov-Moraru said. "This is an honour for Moldova and it paves the way for the strengthening of institutional capacities and the adoption of best practices from member states on the asset recovery segment."
According to a press release from the Ministry of Justice, combating corruption and adopting a comprehensive legislative package to this end, including the establishment of efficient mechanisms for confiscating, tracking, and recovering illegally acquired assets, are priority actions for the current government, including in the context of fulfilling the conditions of the action plan for implementing the measures proposed by the European Commission in its opinion on Moldova's application for EU membership.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
